Apparatus for the projection of light rays



De@ 9, 1930 G. THORNTON-JONES 'APPARATUS FOR THE PROJECTION OF LIGHT RAYS Filed April 12,'1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 ,Y1/:EXE uffi Dec. 9, 1930..` G. THORNTON-JONES APPARATUS FOR PROJECTION OF LIGHT RAYS Filed April l2. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GILBERT THORNTON-J' ONES, OF SHERWOOD, NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND" APPARATUS FOR THE PROJECTION OF LIGHT RAYS Application led April '12, 1929, Serial No. 354,639, and in Great Britain .Tune 20, 1928.

This invention comprises apparatus for the projection of light rays an important object of the invention being to provide a novel means for and mode of projecting on to or through a screen or other surface coloured light effects of practically unlimited variation, the inventiony being particularly applicable for advertising purposes and for producing multi-colour lighting or scenic effects on the theatrical stage.

Broadly the apparatus according to the present invention embodies a light projector, a light shutter, said shutter being composed of a plurality7 of members located one in front of another, openings in said shutter members, means for effecting continued motion of the shutter members relatively toeach other to vary the size and/or formation of the light passages through the combined shutter members, and means for producing coloured light effects by the beam projected through the shutter.

.advantageously the composite shutter is adapted to be rotated between the light source and the focus thereof, and one or more coloured transparent or translucent screens is or are located in the light beam projected through said shutter at a suitable distance beyond the focus.

The invention also includes an arrangement wherein the apparatus as above-described is duplicated or multiplied and the whole constructed as one apparatus operated from a single drive or source of power.

F or the purpose of more fully describin the nature of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a rear elevational view of apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same apparatus.

Figure 3 is a. part-sectional side elevational view showing on an enlarged scale the gearing through which the shutters arev driven.

Figure 4 is a part-sectional elevation showing on an enlarged scale the ma'm driving gear from the motor.

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view, also enlarged, of the gear for transmitting relative rotation to the discs of a dual shutter.

Figure A6 illustrates a suitable colour screen for use in front of the shutters.

`In one method of carrying out the invention the apparatus may be carried by a frameL comprising a rectangular basel, with four upstanding corner posts2, preferably of anf gle section, a further upstanding post 3, preferably tubular, being located approximately midway between each pair of corner posts at each side of the frame, and the whole being connected at the top by a suitable plate or by c ross pieces.

Extending from front to rear of the frame at each side thereof, and preferably carried by brackets 4t on the front and rear angle uprights 2 and passing through vthe tubular posts 3, are two rotatable spindle members 5, suitably spaced one above the other and constituting the axes of rotation of light shutters 6. In this way four shutters are provided, each shutter being advantageously composed of a pair of metal discs 6a, 6l) mounted substantially close one behind the other, yand each disc is provided with one or more openings for the passage of light.

At a suitable distance to the rear of each double shutter 6 is mounted an electric or other convenient light, projector or lamp 7 with suitable reiiector, said lamps being preferably positioned to direct a light beam on to that half of each shutter 6 projecting into the upstanding frame.

Advantageously each lamp is pivotally mounted in a forkedor similar bracket 8 connected by ball and socket ork other universal joint 9 to an arm 9a which is itself connected by a similar universal joint 10 to `a collar 11 adjustably mounted upon one of the vertical framer tubes 3 or other frame member. In this way the location of each lamp and the angle of the projected light therefrom is adjustable to a very considerably extent.

The several double-disc shutters are adapted to be rotated simultaneously from one source of power, and in one method of doing this a driving belt 1Q from a motor 13 suitably carried by the apparatus baseplate lpasses over a pulleyl 14 iixed on a ldrive shaft suitably borne in standardsl 16 on each side of said pulley. The drive kfrom y said shaft 15 is transmitted by two trains of intermeshing gears 17, 18, 19, (Figure 4) to two spindles 21, and by two other trains ofrgears 22, 23, 24 and 25 to two sleeves 26 f rotatably accommodating said spindles '21, said sleeves 'being rotatably carried within bearings in further standards 27, 28. The standards 16 and-27y also carry short spindles 29 on which are mounted the gear wheels 18, 19and23,24. m L

Each spindle 21 carries at its outer end a bevel30 meshing with :another bevelA 31 fixed to a vertical shaftY 32 rotatably carried at its base'in asocket'33 and preferably on a ball or otherV antifriction bearing,'each of said shafts 32 be'ingro'tatable Vwithin a vertical hollow shaft 34 carried lin bracket bearings 35jsecured to the rearmost 'corner frame members2. Each hollow shaft 34 is rotated from a bevelv 36'xed at the outer end of each 'sleeve'26"a`ndf` meshing with another bevel y37 ln saidhllowshaft. 1 j Y The two upper light shutters' 6 are driven from the shafts 32 Vthrough Vfnrther interm'eshing'bevels v38, saidgshaffs extending up beyond'the hollow shafts 34', from which latter the lower shutters are rotated through Y in thesa'me direction.

intermeshingbevels. 39. It will thus be seen that all shuttersare simultaneously rotated jThe twoy discs 6a, 6b','constituting the dual shutters 6 'are eachk advantageously composed alamp7.V

It is required that one'disc of each dual f shuttershould rotate slightly faster than the other in yorder that light passages through said shutters Y of 'gradually and continually varying `sizes'are obtained in the operation of the apparatus. In one method of accomf between worm 43 and wheel 42 the reparmosty plishing this, the drive from the n motor through. the before-described gears is trans,- nitted directly to the sleeve-like boss 40fixed tofspindle 5 and carrying the kfront shutter disc'a. A worm wheel 42 fixed to said boss 40y engages a worm 43 rotatably carried by a bracket 44 securedrto the flange member 41a .ofboss 41, and by reason of the engagement disch?) is simultaneously rotated. However'` 'during rotation, a second worm wheel 45, whichlis carried by thel said bracket 44,"is rotated by its Vengagement with a fixed worm 46 on a non-rotating sleeve 47, the rotation of said second worm wheel y being transmitted through a pair of intermeshing gears 48, 49 tothe first-named worm 43 meshingy with worm wheel 42 and in so doing the movement of the rearmost disc 6b is rendered somewhat slower thanthat of the foremost disc 6a. It

Vistobe understood that the two intermeshing .,.gears 48,. 49 are fixed upon shortaxles50, 51

which are V"rotatable in'the bracket 44 and `carry `the lworm wheel and worm 43 respectively. p Y The non-rotating sleeve l17accommodating the rotary spindle 5 may be fixed by a flanged collar 52-V to the aforesaid upstandingftubes 3.` The rea-rinost of the two discs` of ashutter l"isheld spring 53. f

l The gearing through which the shutters arefdriven frornv the motor is advantageously such as to rotate the several shutters at different relative'speeds. Y For example, the first position by a coiled gear wheel of yeachftrain-f17 or 22) maybe equal, but a difference of say one tooth may be made in certain oftheother gear wheels sov as to obtain the required difference in :the

finaly drive; it beingunderstood that each of thefour geartrains (i. e.'two on each side of 'the drive pulley 14) has a corresponding difference. p Thek aforedescribed dual shutters are advantageously located betweenthe source of light andthe focus thereof, and Vat a suitable distance beyond, and not too closev to, said focus, that is to say in each divergingli ht beam is positioned a screen vof glass or ot er transparent or translucent material, said' coloured screens being indicated at 54. One of these coloured screens is rotatably mounted upon a spindle 55 in axial alignment ywith and projecting forward from each of theaforesaid shutter spindles '5, and each screen embodies one or more colours or tints. Suitable'ineans are incorporated for transmitting lto the said coloured screens a relatively slow rotary inotion, and if desired the several screens may rotate at relatively different speeds. f

`In thefoperation ofthe apparatus the light passages through the duel shutters 6 are moved,-hy the rotation yof said shutters, across the light Vbeam as it converges to the focus,

and as the two discs of each shutter rotate passing through the several coloured screens, all of the colours becoming intermixed on the receiving screen.v

Each colour screen may comprise a frame 54a (Figure 6) into which is litted a plurality, say four, of sector-shaped glass portions 54?) of differing colours, said frame having a central boss 540 by which th-e screen is mounted on the aforesaid spindle 55.

The rotation of the colour screens may be transmitted from the shaft to the motor 13 through belt or chain 56 to pulley 57 on shaft 58, said shaft carrying at or near each end a bevel 59-coacting with second bevel 6() at the lower end of a vertically extending spin'- dle 6l, which spindle carries worms or the like ,62 intermeshing with worm wheels 63 on the screen spindles 55. In this way all of the four colour screens are simultaneously rotated and suitable means may be provided for causing the several discs to rotate at diiferent speeds. This can be determined by the number of teeth in the worm wheel 63.

The accurate projection of the light beams from the several lamps may be assisted by providing a. short distance in front of the several dual shutters 6 a black plate or sheet 6 which advantageously extends across the entire front of the apparatus frame and may be secured to the front corner uprights thereof. This frame is formed with four circularI openings therein, one for each beam, and each opening has associated therewith a rotatable disc 65 containing an opening 66 eccentric to the axis of the disc. Each of the several discs 65 is adapted to be rotated by hand so as to vary the position of the opening 66 therein and in so doing the throw of the light is varied as desired. It will be understood that the black plate 64 effectively prevents the projection of any light forward from the apparatus other th an that directed through the opening 66 on to and through the colour screens.

Additionally an iris diaphragm may be associa-ted with each opening 66 and/or with the light projector and it is also to be understood that the opening 66 may be of any desired shape other than circular, such for example as square.

The light effects obtained by the apparatu may be further varied by providing means for intermittently altering the focus of each projector and/or by providing means for continually or intermittently varying the dimensions of the opening 66 in the rotatable discs 65 or of the iris diaphragm provided in such opening or in connection with the lamp, and this operation may if desired be effected automatically.

lf desired, the several colour screens 54 may be rotated by hand and normally held `from rotation during the Working of the apparatus. Alternatively, the shutters may be rotated at equal speeds, and in such arrangement, Where the screens are, as illustrated, provided with differently coloured sectors, same areadvantageously so mounted that the coloured sectors of each screen have a lead on those of the other screens, that is to say, a different colour of each screencomesinto action a suitable time ahead of the otherscreens In another arrangement a single rotary or otherwise displaceable screen may be employed in frontof the several light projectors and shutters.

The several dualshutters may be driven from separate motors, e. g. a motor for each shutter, the drivingbeing effected at different speeds either direct from said motors in which case any yknown or suitable means for effecting speed variation of the motors is employed or through Ysuitable gearing.

In a simplified embodiment of the invention a lesser number of the dual rotatingshutters 6, klight projectors? and colour screens 54 may be installed in the apparatus, the drive to the seve al movable members being modilied to suit. For exampleonly one of said dual shutters may be installed in which case l.

a single lamp and colour screen would be provided, the relative disposition of said shutters, lamp and screen being, if desired, as previously described.

l claim r-f y l. Apparatus for projecting -light raysenibodying a light projector, a shutter infront of said light projector, said shutter composed of a plurality of members located one in front of'another, openings in said shutter' bers arranged one in front of another, light l openings in said shutter members, means for rotating said members relatively to each other to vary the light passage through the combined members, and a colour screen located in the path vof the projected light beyond the focus.

3. Apparatus fork projecting light rays embodying a light projector, a composite shutter in front of said projector, said shutter comprising` two plates or discs with light openings therethrough, means for rotating the members of said composite shutter at different relative speeds, a transparent or translucent colour screen in front of the shutter in the path of the light beam through said shutter, means for rotating said screen, and means for adjustably determining the direc- Vl() tinually to vary, the formation ofthe light passage through the combined discs, a colourv screen in front of said shutter, means for ro,-

tating said screen, said screen embodying a' plurality ofdiiferently coloured'transparent or translucent portions, and means for directing theprojected light in apre-determined direction y'on to the screen and through same to-a receiving surface or object.

'5I `Apparatus 'for projecting light rays comprising a plurality yof light projectors, a rotary shutter in front of each projector, each'shutter Vvcomprising a plurality of discs or plates located one in front of another on ya 25 common axis,' light openings through said shutter discs, means for simultaneously rotating the plurality of shutters, means .for rotating the discs of'each shutter at diHering speeds so as to produce continuallyvarying Y v light passages therethrough, and .a 'transparentcor translucent colour screen in front of each shutter.l Y 6.'.Apparatus for projecting light rays comprising a plurality of light projectors, an

' j ,fadjustable mounting for each projector, a

duel light shutter rotatably mounted in front 'of each'projector,imeans for simultaneously rotatin saidduel shutters at'diiferent speeds, meansy or rotating one member of each, shutter yat a speed different from that of the other member, light passages in each shutter,

Vsaid passages being continually variedin sizev Y and/or shape during the rotation of the shut- Y ters, a rotary screen mounted in front of i5 each dual'shutter, means t'or transmitting rotation simultaneously to the several screens, said screens embodying transparent or trans- 1 lucent Vparts of differing colours and means for ensuring that the projected light beams through the several shutters and screens are Aso directed -as vto converge and become `mingled one 'with another upon a suitable receiving surface or object in front of the colour screens.

17. Apparatus .for projecting light rays, comprising a frame, a plurality of lamps car- Vried by-'said frame, an adjustablemounting -for yeach lamp, rotatable spindles in said iframe', light shutters mounted on said spindles in front of the lamps, a power unit, meanszfor simultaneously rotatingthe several Yshutters rom said power unit, saidi4 j shutters each comprising a. pair of closely disposed discs with light openings therethrough, i means wherebythe Arotation transmitted to one of said discs automatically transmits rotationat a different speed tothe adjacent disc so as to vary the tormationof the light openings through the combined discs, a cover y `plate extending in frontofthe several shutters, light openings in said cover-plate,ysaid openingsbeing located in front ofthe shutters, meansfor adjusting .theposition of said openings so asto determinethedirection of y* throw of the light beam, a vcolour screen in front of eachvopening in said cover plate, said screen embodying transparent or translucent portionsfor determining the colour of the light j proj ected therethrough able. surface or object. A

8. Apparatus for projecting light rays, embodying an upstanding frame, a plurality of lamps within said frame, reflectors associated with said lamp, adjustable supports,

-for rthe lamps,-said supportsembodying universal connectionsfor permitting variation of the. disposition ot the lampsy andthe direction of light therefrom, horizontally disposed spindlesv in the frame, a power'unit, means for transmitting rotary .motion to said horilight opening in each of said discssaid opening being disposed eccentric to the axis ofl rotation of said disc and being adapted by rotationot said disc to vary the throw of light through the shutter located at the rear thereof, colour `screens located in front of the cover plate, one of said screens extending y on to any suitin front of each of the 'said light openings in kthe cover plate, means for simultaneously rotating theseveral colour screens on individual axes, and means whereby the rotation of said colour screens is transmitted from the aforesaid driving unit. Y

9. Apparatus for projecting light rays comprising an upstanding frame, a driving unit in said trainde plurality of suitablyV spaced horizontal spindlesextending from the front to the rear of said frame, a train of gears intermediate ofthe driving unit Vand each ,of said horizontal spindles for t-ransmittiiig a separate and different drive to each spindle, a light shutter mounted onv each spindle, each light shutter comprising a pair of closely disposed discs arranged face to vface, one of said discsbeing rotated directly from the shutter spindle and the second of said 'discs being rotated through suitable gearing from the first disc but at a relatively different speed, light openings in each disc of the dual shutter, a lamp mounted at the rear of each shutter on the interior of the frame, light reflecting means for each lamp, an adjustable mounting for each lamp, a cover plate extending in front of the several dual shutters, a plurality of rotatable discs in said plate, a light opening in each disc, each opening being disposed eccentrically to the axis of movement of the disc and'being positioned to determine the direction of forward throw of the light beam passing through the shutter at the rear of the cover plate, colour screens in front of the cover plate, t-ransparent or translucent members of different colours in said colour screens, and means for displacing the said colour members across the light beams projected through the several openings inthe cover plate.

l0. Apparatus for projecting light rays comprising a frame, a driving motor in said frame, a pluralityT of rotatably mounted horizontally disposed spindles spaced both vertically and horizontally7 Within the frame, a common drive pulley to which motion is transmitted from the motor, means for transmitting independent rotary motion to each of said horizontal spindles from said drive pulley, said spindle driving means comprising separate trains of gears of differing gear j ratios so as to transmit rotation to the spindles at relatively dierent speeds, dual light shutters mounted on said horizontal spindles, light openings through the two members of said dual light shutters, one shutter member being rotated at the speed of rotation of the shutter spindle and the second shutter member being rotated at a. relatively different speed through gearing, a lamp at the rear of each dual shutter, a supporting member for each lamp, said supporting member being adjustable vertically upon frame members, universal joints associated With said lamp supporting means for permitting adjustment of the lamp in any direction, each lamp being so disposed as to project light on to the one half of a dual shutter, a cover plate in front of the several shutters, rotatable discs in said plate, one disc being disposed in front of each shutter, a light opening in each disc, means whereby rotation of the disc varies the position of the light opening relatively to the shut-ter spindles proj ecting axially of the several shutter spindles in front of the said cover plate, a colour screen carried by each projecting spindle, each colour screen embodying a plurality of transparent or translucent members of differing colours, means for transmitting rotary motion simultaneously to the several colour screens at relatively differing speeds and said motion transmitting means for the screens embodying gearing driven from the driving motor.

GILBERT THORNTON -J ONES. 

